Colleen Peterson Award Nomination

My song ‘You’re Gone’ was nominated by the Songs From the Heart jury for the Colleen Peterson award. The letter states I was ‘one of the 12 excellent finalist nominated for the award’. I remember getting the call from my mum about my nomination last year for my song ‘Love Song’. She was crying, as she did when she was overjoyed. I said ‘Mum I didn’t even win!’. But that was my Mum. She was amazed by what I do and forever in celebration of the accomplishments whether I could see them or not. Now this year I am crying because I feel the joy my Mum felt for me, because it is a wonderful and unexpected acknowledgment, and because it feels really good to have someone else validate your work with a nomination.

I knew this release would be a challenge. That creating and putting my work out to the world without Maggie Thomson Hayes would be new and a little scary. I’m in full swing and in some ways it’s harder than I thought. In others I know I have her dedicated divine guidance. She has already been a part of so much of this album and every time something was serendipitous I felt her presence. The thing I miss the most though are her words, her facial reactions and her overall exuberant nature.

I encourage everyone to give praise to someone today, and everyday. Perhaps this someone is even you. Find ways to compliment others on their achievements big or small, get excited, and spread exuberance. I know in my life the biggest gift Mum ever gave me was her steadfast belief in me and whatever I put my mind to. Let us all be a little bit more like Mum and lift each other up. I truly believe the world will start healing if we engage with each other in this way.